Jan 29, 2009
York workers will drop legal challenge to legislation
By ANTONELLA ARTUSO, QUEEN'S PARK BUREAU CHIEF
The Toronto Sun
TORONTO -- York University's 45,000 students are looking to return to class Monday for the first time in 12 weeks as the provincial legislature was poised to pass strike-ending legislation today.
CUPE 3903, which represents the striking casual faculty and teaching assistants, decided yesterday that it would not follow through on a threatened legal challenge to the back-to-work bill.
Union spokesman Tyler Shipley said they still feel strongly York University should be held to account for "subverting" collective bargaining, but their members and students are exhausted by the process.
"We're teachers and we care about our students," Shipley said. "And this has gone on for so long that it may just be time for us to take the high road."
Classes should resume on Monday for the 45,000 students.
Colleges and Universities Minister John Milloy said a "rebuilding" time will be needed to get over the rifts caused by the lengthy labour dispute.
"I think students want to get back and study and I think, over time, the healing process will take place and hopefully York will be able to get back on its feet," Milloy said.
Some of that tension was evident at Queen's Park yesterday when YorkNotHostage, an anti-strike group, was confronted by supporters of the workers.
SHOUTED SHAME
Joel Duff, an organizer with the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario, shouted "shame on you" at about 100 YorkNotHostage protesters in front of Queen's Park.
YorkNotHostage members chanted "back to work" in response.
Conservative MPP Peter Shurman, who has long advocated a legislative end to the strike, said his party supports the students who want to get back to class.
"After 12 long weeks -- 11 of them thank you very much Dalton McGuinty; and one of them thanks to the NDP -- you should have the law that's required tomorrow and you should be in class by Monday," he said yesterday.
The New Democrats did not provide the consent needed to pass the back-to-work order immediately when introduced on Sunday.
NDP Leader Howard Hampton has said his party is hoping to draw public attention to underfunding of the post-secondary system, and the failure of York University to negotiate with the strikers.
The McGuinty government continues to offer struggling York students better access to loans, rather than tuition rebates, to cope with an extended school year.
York University spokesman Alex Bilyk said there are no salary savings to be passed on to students in the form of tuition rebates.
"We will be delivering on the academic programs that the students are here for," he said.